Streaking Bruins still have plenty to motivate them

The Bruins, who will shoot for their 13th consecutive win on Monday night against ancient rival Montreal, have little to gain statistically over the season's final 11 games. There's still plenty of incentive to play hard before the postseason, though.

They’ve been asked the “peaking too soon” questions, although not so much lately. Even the most fretful fans can’t help enjoy watching the Bruins win game after game after game – 12 in a row, entering tonight’s matchup with the Canadiens at TD Garden (7:35, NBC Sports Network, WBZ-FM/98.5).

If there’s a concern these days, it’s probably more about motivation. The B’s, after all, have clinched a playoff spot, will soon clinch first place in the Atlantic Division and the race to be No. 1 in the Eastern Conference is suddenly not so tight. The Penguins have hit a flat spot (5-4-1 in their last 10), leaving the Bruins with a six-point lead and 11 games remaining for both teams.

There is, however, the matter of finishing first overall, a race that’s currently a dead heat between the B’s and Blues (103 points apiece), also with 11 games ahead for each team. And two more wins would match the longest streak in team history – a record established in 1929-30, the sixth season in the franchise’s 90-year history.

Would the Bruins like to win the President’s Trophy and match or eclipse such a long-standing franchise record? Well, who wouldn’t?

Neither one is a goal, though. Tonight, this week, and for the three weeks left in the regular season, the goals are to stay healthy, stay fresh and stay sharp.

Goal 1 on that list is almost as much about luck as anything else, although Goal 2 can be a factor – and coach Claude Julien, through years worth of compacted schedules, long playoff runs and the like, has become somewhat expert at managing how much his players are on the ice.

Goal 3 comes down mainly to focus and motivation, so it’s mostly on the players. Since it’s been more than three weeks since they lost (more than two weeks since they were even taken to overtime), focus doesn’t seem to be an issue. As far as motivation goes, there’s still plenty.

After Saturday’s 4-2 victory at Phoenix, in which the B’s faced a 2-1 deficit at the start of the third period, Julien remarked that “we look for those kinds of games right now. We don’t want any easy games. We want to get better as a team and those kinds of games allow you to do that.”

So the Bruins’ schedule over the next two weeks should be their friend.

The Canadiens are no longer a threat to the Bruins in the division standings, nor are they a likely first-round playoff opponent – but they’re Canadiens, they’re coming to Boston and that’s always motivation.

Page 2 of 2 - Thursday’s game against Chicago will be the Blackhawks’ first appearance at the Garden since they carried the Stanley Cup out of the building on the night of June 24, so – motivation.

Then come five games in eight days through April 5 – the first four on the road, all of them against teams the Bruins could still conceivably meet in the first round. There are road (March 30) and home (April 5) games against Philadelphia, while the B’s also visit Washington (this Saturday), and have back-to-back road games at Detroit and Toronto on April 1-2.

Of that group, only the Flyers are even close to safely in a playoff slot and there’s time for that to change. The Caps (currently out), Maple Leafs and Red Wings (currently in) are scuffling for wild-card berths.

If the Bruins aren’t up for these games, they could look pretty bad in a hurry. And there’s still the matter of individual players nailing down roles for the postseason – especially on defense, where the situation becomes more fascinating by the game. The way Julien uses his blue-liners and their response to the way they’re used, will go a long way towards establishing a rotation for the playoffs.

Positionally, statistically, etc., there’s not much the Bruins can gain down this last stretch of the season, but if they play as they have so far this month (remember all those concerns about 17 games in 31 days?), they can still do themselves a lot of good.

Mike Loftus may be reached at mloftus@ledger.com. On Twitter.com: @MLoftus_Ledger.